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Armour Virtual School Policy

 All virtual education programs and courses will be consistent with District instructional goals and aligned with South Dakota ’s academic standards, curriculum frameworks and assessments, and accredited by the South Dakota Department of Education.

Student Application for Virtual High School Courses

Students applying for permission to take a virtual/online course will do the following:

• Meet with the counselor and/or administration to assess the student ability to function effectively in an online or virtual school environment
• Complete prerequisites
• Demonstrate proper academic ability, attendance history, and behavioral history

The Armour School District 21-1 requires that all students in high school take five academic classes each semester.  Curriculum offered includes all courses required to graduate and also those necessary to receive a Regental Diploma and qualify for the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship.  The purpose of virtual school courses should therefore be for increased rigor as in AP coursework, for courses which are deemed necessary but are not available in the high school, or courses which are required to graduate but are not available within the student’s schedule.

Credit for Virtual Coursework

Credit from an online or virtual course may be earned in the following circumstances:

• The course is not offered at the District’s high school
• In all cases, the course must be approved in advance by the administration.  Factors including course content, rigor, and the necessity of the course in the student’s plan of study will be considered.  In addition, the availability of resources including room, equipment, and staff will be considered in every decision. 
• Exception:  A student will be allowed to take a course currently offered at the district level through the virtual school if it is a sixth class taken in addition to the five classes being taken within the district’s regular curriculum
• In this instance all costs will be paid for by the student
• If a student wishes to withdraw from the virtual class and enroll in the district’s class they must do so within the first 10 school days of the start of the class
• The district does offer the course, but the student is unable to take it due to an unavoidable scheduling conflict
• Every effort will be made to resolve the conflict
• If the conflict is the result of a student failing a course, the student will pay for all costs of that class
• The course is an approved AP (Advanced Placement) course. 
• The SD Dept. of Education has contracted with APEX Learning to provide online AP courses.  AP courses can be taken as one of the five required academic classes.
• The course is offered by the District on a rotating basis, the course requested is not available in the current year, and there are extenuating circumstances why the course must be taken during the current year.  Students taking a class under these circumstances will not have to pay a usage fee to use the VTEL equipment or to help with e-mentor costs.

Grades for Virtual Coursework

Students must pass all virtual coursework to receive credit.  The grade received for non AP classes and non college classes will be based upon the district’s grading scale and grading policies.  APEX Learning and college institutions will determine the grade for AP courses and college courses.  Note:  AP courses are graded on a 5.0 scale.  If a student does not receive a grade of “C” or above from APEX Learning for an AP course, they do not receive credit and must reimburse the State of SD for all costs.

Other Policies Concerning Virtual Coursework

• Students must complete all coursework within the calendar structure of the local district unless permission is granted from the administration in advance
• If the class taken is one of the five academic classes required by the district the student is required to be in attendance at the district building for a full regularly scheduled period as they would in any other academic class.  This is also true if it is a sixth course being taken as a make-up for a previously failed course.
• In this circumstance a student is still required to put in regularly scheduled seat time even if it is an online internet based course.  This is also true even if the student has senior privileges.
• If the class taken is an online internet based course and is being taken as a sixth course the seat time requirement may be waved provided it is approved by the administration and the student demonstrates adequate grades and progress in the course.
• The student and parents must sign a contract for any virtual school course.

Costs for Virtual Coursework

• The school district will pay all costs for any course being delivered via the virtual school if it is part of the district’s regular offering of coursework and it is the only delivery method of that course.
• In all other instances, the student will be responsible for all costs of the virtual school courses.
• This includes the following:
• registration and/or costs of the course from the delivery source
• costs required for credit
• costs for textbooks (provided the district does not have the textbook)
• costs for resources including lab materials
• If the class is taken over the VTEL system, the student will be required to pay for
• costs for training for staff
• costs of compensation for staff
• equipment and/or room fees
• The minimum charge for the above will be $125 per semester
• The State of South Dakota will pay for each successfully completed Advanced Placement AP semester course from Apex Learning that a student completes and does not withdraw from for any reason.  Successfully completing a course is achieved when a student receives a “C” grade or above from the Advanced Placement teacher.  Withdrawing and/or incompletion of a course means that a student does not complete the course with a “C” grade or above.  If a student does not successfully complete a course or withdraws from a course, the cost will be assumed by the student.  The state will determine in all instances if a course requirement has not been fulfilled.